My New Reality
by basketballchick13
Summary: Alek and Chloe's relationship will be tested many times,will it bring them to their breaking point or will they come out stronger than ever.Amy is hiding something that could drastically change everyone's life. Alek/Chloe, Paul/Amy and Jasmine/oc
1. Chapter 1

They had Paul again! I had to do something. Come on, he was pretty much my brother growing up, as Amy was my sister. When you don't have your own siblings, then you tend to create bonds elsewhere or so I'm told. So why shouldn't I save him again? He's helped me on numerous occasions.

"And where the hell do you think you're going?"

My muscles tightened, knowing that I was totally busted. "To get some milk…" I lied not even trying to make it sound convincing.

He crossed his arms as I looked for another way into the building that I might be able to get into and get away from Alek at the same time. But so far, it looked like this was the only passable entrance that I could actually see.

"Chloe…" he said warningly.

"What am I supposed to do, huh? Wait around for my best friend my _brother_ to just be killed by those freaks?" I challenged.

"You don't have a choice, and you know it," he avoided the question.

"Let me phrase it this way, Alek. You consider Jasmine to be very important to you right? Almost a sister?"

He nodded slowly, not liking where this was going for him. "She's a sister in all ways that count." He agreed.

"Would you stand by and watch her die because of you?"

He seemed stumped on that one. "Exactly," I pointed out.

I used the chance of his small moment of emotional vulnerability to get past him and to the door. Surprisingly I did it without an arm ceasing my shoulder or wrist. But this time I couldn't just jump in like I did with the drug dealers with Xavier's brother. I had to be a little more careful, and this was going to take some planning. Though, if I wanted to be successful in not getting caught again by Alek, it would have to be quick.

"Nice try," Alek whispered in my ear, before covering my mouth with his hand and wrapping the other arm around my waist to keep me from going any farther. Why did I think I could get away again?

My hearing adjusted after my heart rate went down from being scared out of my wits. They were talking about shooting him…slow, painful death. Just for having an association with me after finding out about my ancestry… gifts…being…whatever you want to call it. Alek must have heard it as well because his grip around me tightened to make sure that I didn't get away from his grasp.

Paul? Dead? Painful, slow? I always thought that he was going to die of old age, during one of our bingo games with Amy. Not at sixteen. Not by shooting. Not slowly, but peacefully. And definitely not for me. I wasn't going to allow that to happen to him.

The thought of life without Paul…what would I tell Amy about her dearly beloved? 'Oh, I just let your boyfriend die for me'? The group wouldn't function without him. He was our mediator, peace lover and the dork of the group.

"They know you're here, they're just saying those things to reel you in," he tried to reassure me.

"Alek…"my voice was muffled through his hand, "we both know that's not true."

He turned me around and put his hands on my shoulders. His facial expression wasn't smug or impassive or pissed off. It was…caring? He also looked like he didn't know what to say. Could I really blame him all that much?

"No, it might not be," he confessed.

"What are you and I going to do?" I asked him, doing a good job of keeping the tears out of my eyes and voice. Now was not the time to get emotional, but to save Paul.

"_We _are not going to do anything except get you out of here so you don't torture yourself," he planned. "I will call some other Mai to work all of this out. Clean this mess up."

I almost slapped him when he said that. But he caught my hand before I could. Hopefully he realized what he had just said to me and how completely rude it was. _Clean this mess up?_ How could he say such a thing?

The first gunshot.

"Paul," I screamed, guiltily relieved that I couldn't see his face at the time. But unfortunately my other senses picked up. My hearing, telling me that his heart rate was slowing down. My smell, telling me that there was blood. My empathy telling me that he was terrified and in horrible pain.

My knees buckled.

Alek caught me with ease, too much ease for this situation. I tried to wrestle my way out of his arms, beating my fists against his chest but he was solid. I could tell that he was somewhat struggling to keep this tight of a grip, but it didn't matter because I was using all of my strength and he wasn't even using two thirds of his right now. What was the point of being Mai when you can't escape another Mai?

Another gunshot…heart beat almost vanished. By now I was fighting harder against Alek than I had ever fought for in my life…even for my own life against scar face. But again, no use whatsoever.

"Let's get you out of here," he suggested oh-so brightly. "Someone is already outside waiting in a car."

Which meant I didn't have the chance to get away while he went around to drivers seat. Damn it.

He dragged me out of the building somehow with my kicking feet, screaming and wailing upper limbs. It's a wonder the Order didn't catch us or at least attempt to.

A third shot. Gone;

My mom could tell that something was wrong with me, but not something this bad. Lately I've become a good liar, but I couldn't fully hide my emotions from my mother. I don't think anyone truly can. Not with a mother as good as mine anyways. So I muttered something about being in a fight with Amy about her spending way too much time with Paul. Afterwards, I stormed up the stairs and stomped into my room.

Only to be met by an uninvited guest.

I threw a heavy history book at Alek, knowing that he would catch it just fine. But I just needed to do it…just because.

"I don't think that you get it," he tried to explain. "They would have killed him anyways. Just for keeping in touch with you after he found out. So I wasn't going to let you die as well.

"What's going to happen next? They're going to get Amy, mom, Brian. Then they're going to start picking all of you off as well, Valentina, Jasmine, and even you."

"We're doing everything to make sure that your loved ones are safe, alright?" He assured.

"Weren't you doing that before tonight happened?"

He sighed, knowing that he had hit a dead end with me.

"I can't lose everyone I love, Alek," he took a step closer to me. We were maybe a foot away from each other now. I took a step back, but I ended up against a wall. You had to be kidding me.

"I know." He stated simply, and I knew that he was being sincere.

"And how am I going to live with myself, knowing this is my fault and-

He closed the space between us and cupped my chin with one hand and the back of my head with the other to make sure that I had to look at him. "Look at me. This is _not your fault_. These people are cruel and would do anything to destroy you. Which is why we need to be able to get you and your loved ones out of this place as soon as possible."

Tears were threatening to fall now. He noticed this and looked like he had no idea what to do with a crying girl. I tried to shove him away, but he did the complete opposite. He hugged me, which is something I didn't think Alek would do me any time soon.

I didn't return the hug, but I didn't push him away either. Honestly I don't think he would have allowed me to push him away if I tried. The tears were now falling at more of a faster rate and they wouldn't stop. Alek must have sensed the crying because I felt him press my head into his chest just like all the cheesy movies and T.V shows.

"What? No snarky comment?" I choked out between sobs.

He sighed. "I really don't think this is the time and place."

Who would have thought that there would be a time that Alek wouldn't make a snarky comment? But then again, who would have thought that he would be here when Paul died? And who the hell thought Paul was going to die tonight? No one that I knew, that's for sure.

What about Paul's parents? There was no way that the Order was going to tell them the truth, right? Or would they hide Paul's death altogether? Of course I would have to tell Amy sooner or later this month, and I knew that wouldn't go over well at all for me.

But I would worry about those things tomorrow. For now I just wanted to sleep.

I swear I don't remember falling asleep. And I definitely don't remember falling asleep in Alek's arms. So that was a big shocker for me when I finally woke up the next morning.

An even bigger shock?

Being woken up by my mother.

"I was going to tell you that Paul is in the hospital, but I can see that you're already busy with other things," she scolded, crossing her arms across her chest and glaring down at Alek and I.

"Paul's in the hospital?" I asked, stunned at the thought, wriggling out of Alek's arms and sitting up to face the day ahead of me.

Wasn't he dead? I had heard his heartbeat go down to almost nothing…and then we left. I had never actually seen him to confirm that he was dead.

Could it be?

Alek and I shared a glance.

"Is there something that you want to tell me about the two of you? Specifically after I've told you that there's no boys allowed in your room when I'm not here?" Mom challenged.

"Yes, actually, there's something that we do need to tell you." Alek spoke before I could manage a peep myself.

I just couldn't wait to see my mother's reaction.


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys thank you sooo much for the reviews, I've never gotten so many in one day.

Anyways, I am going to update as soon as I get back from Lake Powell on the 19th because I'll have so much time to write for it since there's no internet.

Was it really that good?

Thanks,

Marie


	3. Chapter 3

_**Hey…so I had to write this on my iPod and then I had to email it to my parents computer since my computer got destroyed by water that my sister decided to dump on it. So I'm sorry about that. This wasn't a huge Chalek chapter, but I will definitely make up for that for the next two chapters =). And guess what? Over 1,000 views in one day! I've never had so many in a week for one of my stories.**_

Chloe POV

Alek did all of the explaining to my mom. Mostly because well...I'm still not used to the whole Mai thing yet and explaining it to someone else would be like a kindergartener teaching a preschooler to read. It just wouldn't be logical. And also I was still in shock that my mom had just caught me sleeping in the arms of freaking Alek for crying out loud. Just hours after telling yer that sex is the farthest thing from my mind. I don't think this helped convincing her from that.

Mom, just being my mom, sat there silently the entire thing listening to what Alek had to say. No comments for him or questions. Though she didn't really look like she believed him the entire time. After I showed her my retractable claws from my nails, that's when she really started to believe us. She probably didn't think we were lying, but that we were playing a joke before she saw the claws.

"So you could just disappear one day and I would have no idea where you went?" Out of all the questions she could ask, this was the one that chose. That just proved that she really is my mother.

"Mrs. King, if that really does happen one, which there is definite possibility; you will hear from the Mai. Just not her location," Alek jumped in before I could.

"What he means to tell you is that I'll always be safe with the Mai. And it would put everyone that I love in danger of they know my location," I rephrased for mom.

"I always knew you were too good to be true," she pit her head in her hands.

"Mom...I'm still Chloe." I knew that wasn't true. I wasn't the naive Chloe that I had been a couple months ago. I had killed someone...I had died myself. And I have almost died on several other occasions. Not to mention my different powers that came with being the Uniter. I was definitely not the same Chloe I used to be. But that didn't mean that I didn't love all my family and friends as much as I did before all of the crappy misfortune. If anything, dying once has made me realize how much I love all of them.

"I know honey," she said. Using my empathy sense, I could feel that she was telling the truth and she was confident. "But what I meant is that I always knew that there was going to be some sort of catch that the universe would add on for letting us get you that easily."

"This has nothing to do with you," I assured her. "Things just worked out that way."

"You should go and see Paul at the hospital. The doctors said that his chances are looking a little bit crowded," Mom suggested.

I nodded in agreement. But it was like I had almost lost Paul all over again. I didn't want to get all of my hopes up high and then have them free fall back down to earth without a parachute if things didn't go the way I wanted them too...the way things should be. Paul should be alive until I get to tell his kids stories about how big of a nerd he was when he was their age. That was just the way that things were supposed to happen.

Alek's fingers wrapped around my wrist and he pulled out the door and into the car that we had driven home in the night before. He opens the door for me like a perfect gentleman. This act is going to be kept up for long if Paul recovers soon. But if things go in the other direction, I have a feeling that this act will be temporarily permanent.

He drives fast, seeing as though I'm anxious tonged there...because time might be running out for Paul.

I sprinted into the hospital, Alek hot on my trail to make sure I didn't do anything too stupid. Somehow I just knew what room Paul was in, I could sense it.

"Amy..." I said at the same time she said, "Chloe..."

As soon as I reached his room, I saw Amy with dry streaks of mascara all down her cheeks sitting by his bed and his parents on the room couch.

"Alek can you...?" I nodded towards Amy. "...catch her up a little bit?"

They both gaped at me for a second and then they both got the lightbulb at the same time.

"Yeah, of course." he complied from outside of the doorway.

I attempted to give him a grateful smile, but it probably same across as a tight lipped grimace.

"Can I talk to Paul alone?" I asked his parents even though he was clearly unconscious.

They gave the look that they always gave me when I was "being Chloe" as they put it. But they both nodded and left the room to a sleeping Paul and I.

Amy POV

A coffee was being held in front of me. I looked at Alek suspiciously. He was being way too nice for Alek.

"Did you put something in this to knock me out so I'll be quiet?" I asked accusingly.

"You know, I should have thought of that," the retort didn't sound so convincing to me.

"What's the catch?" I sighed.

"Can't I just be nice to you for no reason?" he asked.

I shook my head no.

"Fine, I got you the coffee because I know you're jot going to like what I have to tell you," he admitted.

"Ah ha, I knew it!" I said, just to prove my point. When Chloe and Alek have all these gifts, I have to sometimes point out their flaws or mistakes. I cant help it; it's just the type of person that I am.

"Will you just take the damn coffee?" he shoved the styrofoam cup into my hands and some of splattered onto my arm. I glared at him but he just rolled his eyes.

"So what exactly am I not going to like?" I asked cautiously. I didn't want to tick Alek off any more, even though I knew he wouldn't hit me or anything. I just knew he turned kind of scary if he's mad. That or he gives a very long lecture, according to Chloe.

"I think we might have to take Chloe away for...well a while anyways," he didn't look me in the eye when he told me. He'll yeah, he was damn right when he said that I wouldn't like what he was about to say.

"No," I protested. "You can't just uproot Chloe from her life here. From her mom friends school and-

He cut me off with a groan.

"Amy, you didn't listen to the rest of what I have to say," he said. "You think I don't know that. I've done all I can to let her stay here as long as she has. But now I can't stop them from taking her. So I suggested that they take you and Paul with her."

I turned to him.

"What would our parents do if we just disappeared?" I pointed out. "we can't just leave!"

"Nothing I do is ever good enough is it?" he sighed again. That'd be the what? Third sigh in the last two minutes. "You're going to have to go anyways because of this fiasco last night. I'm going to make sure of that."

"Why do you give a crap about what happens to Paul and I?" I inquired.

"First and foremost, I care about Chloe and I really don't want her to be hurting. And secondly...you two have become the annoying little siblings i never wanted. So it's not like I'm going to leave both of you to be mauled by the Order."

Huh...he actually sounded like he was being honest.

"But what about Jasmine? Isn't she pretty much your little sister?" I pointed out.

"She is littler than me, but she'e also older. So that would make her more of my big sister."

"Careful, people might start to think that you actually care," I warned teasingly.

"You know, I'm considering not giving a damn anymore at this point," he confided.

"About people or about people knowing you care?" I just wanted clarification on which.

"People knowing," he grumbled.

I looked down and remembered that I had completely forgotten about it. Since I was groggy from the entire night of being at the hospital, I decided to take a sip. It was nasty; bitter and way too strong. I spit it back into the cup.

"Hey! I got you that coffee!"

"From the free coffee station down the hall," I accused.

"But still..."

"Well, why don't you just take a drink of it?" I challenged.

He snatched the cup away from me and took a sip. He spit it right back out onto the floor instead of the cup like I had. Poor janitor.

"Oh look! We agree on something!" I mock cheered.

"Yeah, I see an endearing friendship in our future," he decided to play along.

But I sensed that he might just be right.

(**a/n nothing is going on between them...it really is just friendship. But I figured it'd put some more tension in the story if these two are always quarreling. So don't worry. I'm a big huge Paul/Amy fan…I just think they're adorable)**

Chloe's POV

I stood at the door of Paul's bed. Man, I always thought it took two awake people to make a situation awkward, but apparently I was wrong. Paul was even moving and here I was being stunned and not knowing at all what to say. Wow, way to be the new Chloe.

"So Paul..." I started, obviously not getting off to a good start. "Thanks for not ratting me out last night."

Though I knew that Paul would never rat me out unless it was for my own safety, it didn't make it right that he had to suffer the consequences, you know?

"Um... I just wanted to know that I was there. I fought Alek to try and get to you. You knew that I was there. Just don't think I wasn't trying to save you, because that's completely wrong."

Okay, this was much better than what I'd been doing before.

"and um... You're a great friend. You always have been, but this makes you the best friend that anyone could ever have."

I stood there dumbly, waiting for a reactions of anything. But there was no movement or noise except the heart rate monitor.

"You better get better or i will kick your dead ass so hard you'll feel it in whatever afterlife there is," I warned him.

Nope, still nothing.

"Oh hey Amy and Alek, why are you two making out?" I tried out.

And he was startled awake.

"Who's making out with Amy?" He demanded.

I pressed him down back onto his pillow by his shoulder, as to not hurt himself.

"You heads everything, didn't you?" I accused.

"Heard what?" ugh, he was telling the truth. Damn bastard was telling the truth like always.

"Wait, I have to say all of those things over again?" I groaned.

"Wait...so where is Amy and Alek?" he asked, looking around confused.

"My waking up tactic worked," I grinned at him.

"What were you saying to me while I was asleep?"

"Just telling you how much I love you and how you're the best friend in the whole world," I summarized.

"Oh, hey I need to tell you something..." he looked down.

"What's that?" I asked him.

"Well...I think you should yet out of here," he admitted.

It felt like I'd been punched in the heart. Of course I could understand where he was coming from, by it didn't mean that I was completely prepared for it.

Oh okay," I agreed walking towards the door. "Thanks for everything."

"Where are you going?"

"I thought you wanted me out?"

"What? No!" He objected."I think that you need to get out of San Francisco or at least go into hiding."

"I think you have a very good point Paul." a voice came from the doorway.

Alek.

No! This couldn't be happening

**So, thanks to Paul and Alek, they'll all be going on a road trip to somewhere…haven't decided yet. Haha. But it'll be up soon because I've finally figured out how to transfer stuff from my iPod now that my laptop's ruined.**

**Please review. And btw; I really do want constructive criticism, it will just make me a better writer.**

**Xoxo**

**P.S AshDawnSoulmates and bucksgirl731, sorry for making you wait. **


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys, I kind of wrote this really fast so that I would have something written before the end of the day, so it's not my best piece, but it's something. I kind of need help writing a summary because mine totally reeks. **

Thanks to Paul and Alek's mutual agreement on getting all of us out of San Francisco, we were now all on the road to a place unknown to any one of us. Even Alek and Jasmine had no idea where we were going. This really was never on my agenda for my bucket list (of this life anyways, who knows what I'll be like the next life?). The vehicle we were riding in was a cross between a RV and an ambulance, but looked like a bus on the outside. Confusing yet? In the back of this thing looked just like the back of an ambulance would. At least from what I've seen in movies anyways. But up front, where everyone but Paul and Amy was, it looked like a normal RV.

Alek was strewn across the couch, taking up the entire thing. Instead of having his feet on my lap like they were a couple hours ago, I decided to move to the table thingy and sit across from Jasmine. She and I ended up playing Chinese Checkers. Though I've never really played it before, I caught on really quick and beat Jasmine half the time despite the fact that she's been playing it with Alek before she even knew what...typical checkers was. Luckily she wasn't a sore loser like Alek would have been. But I think that Jasmine's lack of winning had something to do with her exhausted looking eyes. Her eyes were all baggy and dark underneath. Whatever it was that she had been doing last night, it definitely wasn't making phone calls like she claimed. It takes a lot for Jasmine to be tired, and staying up late on phones wouldn't do that to her. Not to mention the fresh scratches and bruises she had on her arms.

"We're in Reno!" The driver announced. "Anyone need to go to the bathroom?"  
>The bathroom...well it was kind of infested by bugs. No one really wanted to go in there...could you really blame them?<p>

The driver was also Mai. He was someone that I had never seen before in my life, but I was expected to trust. Since Alek and Jasmine seemed to know him fairly well and trusted him, I went along with it. His name was either Rover or Roger. I just couldn't remember anything that anyone said right now because I was so tired from last night.

"Oh! I win!" Jasmine exclaimed, trying to act like she was actually still into this game. We were both bored of it, but it had a strange addiction. Just like bad 80's music.

We were pulled onto the side of a Casino...great for kids our age. I think Roger/Rover wanted a break from five teenagers and him being the only grown up.

"I gotta go!" I announced, hopping onto my feet and stepping off of the RV and onto solid ground. I needed to get off the tin can that dared call itself a video. I sprinted inside of the casino and found the nearest women's restroom which, to my disappointment, was a multiple toilet bathroom. I had wished for one that would lock so that no one else came in while I called my mom.

I pulled my cell phone out of my pocket and dialed my moms cell phone number. Somehow I had been able to get past Alek _and _Jasmine with sneaking my cell phone with me. Most likely I wasn't supposed to really call my mom just in case the phone line was bugged. But I really didn't give a damn anymore because I really just needed to hear my mom's voice.

It rang...and rang...and rang...until finally;

"Hello?"

"Mom?" I asked, even though I knew it was her.

"Chloe! Where are you?"

"I can't tell you exactly where I'm at, but I can tell you that I'm at a casino." I told her, knowing she would probably think I had been joking.

"Well...can you tell me what's going on? Because Paul, you and Amy have all disappeared and Paul's parents reported all of you missing," she informed me.

"It was...a um...emergency get away mom, just like we talked about this morning." I reminded her. "Paul and Amy were in danger as well, believe me."

"Are you with bed boy?" She asked, a teasing tone in her voice.

I groaned. _When_ I get married and had a baby with another guy, Alek was still going to bed 'bed boy' to my mom.

"Yes, mom, I am with Alek as well." I admitted.

"So why can't you tell me where you are?" She asked. "It'd give me some piece of mind if I knew."

"Fine," I gave in, "We're in R-

"Oh, I'll take that," someone said behind me.

Without my noticing, Alek had totally snuck up on me _in the girls bathroom. _He snatched my phone from my hand and put it up to his ear.

"Hi, Mrs. King." He greeted a little too warmly. My mother would be suspicious if it had been any warmer at all.

"Chloe is grounded at the moment, so she can't talk to you at the moment."

I elbowed him in the side, but he didn't even flinch. Not that I was trying to hurt him or anything...The whole time that he was talking to my mom, i was trying to get the phone away from him, but he just blocked me off with his right arm and smacking my hands away.

"I can assure you she's in good hands...Paul's asleep and Amy is just as talkative as ever...they'll take care of their parent's soon...probably the Witness Protection Program...I have no idea how long...well we've got to get going, but she'll be calling you as soon as it's safe again."

"She says she loves you," Alek told me, putting his hand over the speaker part of the phone.

"Love you too mom!" I shouted, hoping that she would hear me over Alek's hand.

"Yeah, she says she loves you too." He told her. "Have a good night Mrs. King...bye."

He pressed end on the phone and slipped it into his pocket.

I glared at him and shoved past him out of the bathroom.

"Chloe, wait!" He told me, but I kept on going.

"What, so you can tell me that you're sorry?" I asked, while keeping my pace. "So you can also take away the ability for me to walk somewhere alone?"

"Well, obviously you kind of abused that privilege by calling your mom. You knew that was dangerous for you and yet you did it anyways," he pointed out.

"You don't know what I'm feeling, your parents are dead." I hissed. "You don't have any idea what it's like to go hours without knowing if your mother is safe or not. I didn't know if my mom was in a situation like Paul's last night."

He exhaled sharply when I said that. "Yes, Chloe, I kind of do. Valentina is my mother. Just like Jasmine's my sister. You should know better than anyone that your real mother doesn't have to be your birth mother."

"Alek," I halted my walking to turn to him. "I-

"Time to go," he interrupted me.

I knew he would make me regret that comment.

* * *

><p>Jasmine was clunked out on the table as soon as we got back to the RV. I don't think I've ever seen her asleep...kind of strange if you ask me. She looked so much younger when she was a sleep. Not so worried and stressed with things having to do with me and her mom, in a way it was a relief.<p>

"She had to have been on the clean up crew last night," Alek observed. "I have never seen her this tired before."

"Clean up crew?" I inquired.

"They...took care of the people that hurt Paul. And there was probably a lot of the Order there if they planned on you being there. So Jazz probably had a pretty long night taking them all down with the clean up crew."  
>Was he intentionally trying to make me feel bad? Because if he was, he was doing a great job at it.<p>

"She shouldn't be sleeping in that position," I stated, but Alek was already on it, picking her up and lying her down on the couch.

"I know," he replied.

He went to go sit by Roger/Rover in the passenger seat and I sat down at the table again to wait for wherever we were going.

I'd fallen asleep just like Jasmine had, my head on the table. Not very good for your back, let me tell you.

"We're here," Jasmine announced to me, shaking me by the shoulder to wake me up.

I lifted my head up, still groggy.

There it was just outside the window; a huge Texas mansion, my temporary home. But it might not be so temporary.

**So if someone could possibly help me with my summary? =) Let me know by review or you can PM me. Thanks!**


	5. Chapter 5

**So I thought that I would throw a curve-ball into the story with Amy having a big secret. Tell me what you think.**Amy's POV

So...I'm pregnant.

There was no way that I would just come out and say that to Paul or anyone else for that matter. But it's not like it was my fault. I was raped. But would they believe me? I know Chloe had the whole empathetic thing, but still, I was doubtful.  
>Now I was just glad that I might possibly get to avoid ever telling my dads that I was pregnant. That is, if we were in hiding for the next eight months. But it would also be kind of hard to explain having a baby in my arms at home. So I<br>might just put it up for adoption. Surely if the Mai had their ways around everything, they could figure out how to put my baby up for adoption without my dads' signature, right?

So I was thinking about who would he the father of my baby if I kept it. Definitely wasn't going to be the biological one. Was Paul going to be it? Or was some other guy going to come along and just love my kid like it was their own kid?

"Why have you been acting's weird lately?" Chloe asked me, all concerned and unselfish like she usually is. She can he really annoying sometimes, you know?

"Maybe it has something too do with the fact that the love of my life is in danger of dying?" I snapped, my pregnancy hormones coming out.

She looked at the ground instead of me now. I felt had about saying that, but I just wanted everyone off of my case at the moment. I didn't want to be like two thousand miles away from home, and yet I was. I didn't want to disappear from everything I knew, and yet I had. I wanted to be with my family, and yet I wasn't. Chloe must feel really guilty about putting all of us through this. But she should t feel guilty, because it wasn't her fault, it was the Orders fault for having a total obsession with trying to get her killed.

"You know, I did everything that I could to save him," Chloe informed me. "Alek stopped me though and no matter how hard I fought to get past him, he held me back. Just so you know."  
>I looked at my best friend in the world. So what if we weren't exactly the same species? We had grown up together and shared barbies and lip gloss and hairbrushes. There's no one else in the world that I had done those things with, not even Paul(though you'd hope not).<p>

"Chloe, if you think that I'm blaming all of this on you, then you obviously don't know me as well as I thought you did," I told her, crossing my arms. "Besides, now Paul is finally living out his manga dream of becoming a hero."

"Unfortunately I'm the one with the super powers," she groaned.  
>A month ago, I would have smacked her for saying that but now I got it; she didn't like being hunted. She didn't want all if this stress on her at such a young age. She had nine lives, but all of the years the nine lives gave her probably won't add up to all the years a typical human life would have given her. Sure, the powers had to be cool, but all of those things came along with it then...what was the point. Like, would you rather live a happy average life or a longer life full of misery? Something similar to that.<p>

"Are you sure there's nothing else wrong?" She repeated.

"Yes," I lied.

"Okay, whatever you say," she gave in.  
>She gave me a look that told me she wasn't falling for it. And if Chloe went along with her usual Chloe business, then she would be figuring my secret out well before I told anyone else or starting showing. To me, there was some relief in that. Of course I wanted to tell my best friend, but how?<br>_

* * *

><p>Chloe's POV<p>

There was definitely something wrong with Amy. But it's not like l could force it out of her, right? It sucked enough that I had been the cause of her having to suddenly drop everything and drive over a thousand miles away to Middle of Nowhere, Texas. Not to mention I was also the reason that Paul had been almost shot to death. But nonetheless, I intended to find out what was wrong with Amy...you know, other than the obvious reasons (Paul and leaving home suddenly).

Last night, we had all decided that Jasmine, Amy and I were all sharing a room while Paul got stuck with Alek. Other suggestions were Amy and Paul in one room with Jasmine, Alek and I in the other. And then there was the horrible idea if me I the same room with Paul and Amy and all their sweet talk all night. It was enough when they did the whole "no, you hang up first...no you!...okay, let's hang up together. One. Two. Three...you're still there?...no you!" Then that's the point where I just take things into my own hands and take whoever's with me phone away and end the conversation.  
>I could just imagine it in the same room. "No, you just to sleep first...no you!...okay, let's count sheep...you're still awake?" ugh. Not something that I wanted to experience, you know?<p>

Jasmine really didn't want to share a room with Alek, and neither did I. So we came up with the traditional room arrangements; girls room and boys room. Let's face it; neither of them are really men yet.

"Were you on the clean up crew?" I asked Jasmine when walked into our room. Amy had been on the porch sitting on a rocking chair.

"What are you talking about?" She inquired."The clean up crew for after the Order the night before last?" I clarified."Oh...well yeah," she confirmed.

"Why didn't you just tell us?"

"Because I didn't want you to worry about me," She examined. "You because you worry about other people way too much. Alek because he'll go all big brother on me, even though he's younger by like two months. He'll lecture me on taking care of myself and all that other stuff even though he's the one that insists on watching over you the entire night for a week."

"Oh," was all I could say.

"About Alek...whatever happened between you two, he'll get over it because he likes you way too much to stay mad at you for more than a couple days." she let me know.

"I don't know," I muttered. "Jasmine?"

She looked at me, intently listening like she did with everyone. She always truly cared about what people thought. People said that I was a good person (sure, I really do try), but Jasmine was a more genuine, considerate person. That's what I loved about her.

"Can you tell me a little bit about Alek's parents?" I asked her awkwardly.  
>She shook her head. "Not really. Believe me, I wish that I knew, but Alek hardly ever talks about them. But he hates whenever the subject of him being adopted by my mom comes up."<br>I sat down on the window seat bed that I had chosen for myself. Very southern, and I always thought it would be cool to sleep right by the window. The Mai had been very insistent about bringing up an extra mattress to set on the wide seat so that it was comfortable. Amy and Jasmine were sharing a bunk. The mansion was huge, But there was a ton of people living here as well. The people from this room were now probably sleeping on all the other window seats of the mansion. Alek was sleeping in the infirmary because that's the only place that they had room. But it didn't look like a hospital, it had four full sized beds in it. There was one other person in there with them, but he was pretty quiet.

I looked out of the window. The window was facing west, so I got to see the sunset every evening that I was going to be here. On the side, I could see Alek's figure, walking in the direction of the set up to the big hill where the scene would probably be better from here.

"I kind of said something really mean about his parents," I blurted to Jasmine.

"Well...um. What exactly did you say?"

"I said that he didn't know what it was like for you to think that your mother could be I danger because his parents were already dead."

"So what do you want me to do about it?" she asked me. "I'll help, but i dont know what to do exactly."

"I don't know. You're the wise one of the group, just give me advice. You're the one that knows him the best."

She sighed. "Just explain why you said that. Tell him about your mom and why you love her so much. Don't apologize until he accepts your reasoning. Otherwise it all goes to his head. Cocky bastard."

I snickered l, remembering mimi's nickname for Alek. That was pretty spot on.

As I looked out of the window again, the bottom edge of the sun was just about to touch the horizon. So I took off so that I would catch up to him in time for the sunset. It just felt like maybe he would be in a better mood while looking at something pretty.

"Thanks for the advice!" I called to Jasmine.

* * *

><br>I caught up to him easily while running with my Mai speed. But only because he was walking at human speed.

"My dad you to take me to see the sunset honing Quake Tower," I greeted.

"You mean the tower that you died in, right?" he reminded me.

"Yeah, that one," I confirmed. I cursed his bitchy attitude.

"What do you want?" he complained.

"A second chance?" I suggested.

Though I couldn't see it, I could practically hear his eyes rolling in his sockets. "With what exactly?"

"Being your friend?"

He raised his eyebrows. "If you think we were actually friends in the first place, then I don't think that we ever stopped just over a stupid comment that one of us said."

"Really? You weren't going to make me pay?" I asked him, just for clarification.

"Did you think I was going to slap you or something because that's what girls-

"No, I meant that I thought that you might give menthe silent treatment just like you have been giving me all day today." I pointed out to him.

"No, I wasn't giving you the silent treatment, I was just trying to give you space because you were kind of pissed about me taking your phone away."

"Kind of?"

He saw that he had just taken one step forward and two steps back with me and on the trail to blissful friendship.

"Anyways...I wasn't giving you the silent treatment. I'm not a girl remember?"

"Really, because that would explain a whole lot," I teased him.

He rolled how eyes again.

"I'm going to tell you something kinda deep. But I just want you to know that I'm not very good about this touchy feely talks. But I'm trying."

He waited. I nodded for him to go on.

"I was mad at you because you mentioned my parents. It felt like you weren't calling Jasmine and Valentina my family." he explained. "But then it was more than that. It was anger because you reminded me that they're dead. Sometimes I try to forget my old life and pretend that I've lived with Valentina and jasmine my entire life."  
>"Alek, I know how you feel. My biological parents are probably dead. My mom is my mom, but I have to remember sometimes that I come from another bloodline. And my dad? Who knows what he's doing now? I'd like to pretend that it's always been my mom and I. but sometimes it doesn't feel right without him, even though it's been ten years."<p>

"You know, you're birth parents might not be dead you know?" he reassured me.

"But I don't want to be disappointed, you know?" I argued, turning away from him.

He turned me around to face him.

"But it's definitely better than not knowing. Either way will be good for you. One way you'll get closure and another way you will get yet another mom and dad."

I nodded to Let him know that I really did understand.

With that, he turned me again. This time to face the sunset. He didn't take his arm off from around my shoulders like I thought he would have. Instead he kept it there and drew me closer to his side. Naturally going along with it, I leaned against his side slightly and laid my head on his arm since my head didn't completely reach his shoulder.

The sunset seemed symbolical of two things right now; Alek and I, and all of our lives. There was something ending between Alek and l, and something new beginning though I have no idea what it is. And all of our lives because one chapter of our life is coming to a close and another one is opening. At least for now, a new lifestyle was going to come in.  
>But before we got to the light part again, we had to make it through the night.<p>

**So how was it? **


	6. Chapter 6

**I decided to do something in Jasmine's POV because she hardly gets any attention in fanfiction. Not that I've seen anyways. Though I love Chloe and Alek, I think Jasmine deserves to have some attention of her own because she's so kickass. **

Jasmine POV

I loved watching the rest of my group. I felt like I was watching a sitcom 24/7. But in this sitcom, nothing ever got boring or cheesy and I was actually a part of it. Watching Chloe and Alek be in denial about being in love was always entertaining, but got kind of annoying already. Would you just admit it already? I mean sheesh.

Right when I thought that I could settle for having friends and my cousin around me in a safe surrounding, I saw _him. _I'm not the girl who just falls in love with a hot guy if he's hot. That's because I couldn't, you know because of the whole Mai and human curse thing that didn't allow you to be intimate? But this was the first guy that was actually around my age that was Mai, that wasn't taken by another Mai girl and that wasn't Alek.

Believe me, I'm not saying that I'm in love with him, but there was definitely an appeal there. And if you saw him, you would have understood just exactly why. Who wouldn't fall for a sweet, hardworking cowboy? Especially when he was the only one available around for miles? First of all, Alek was my cousin so; eww. Paul was Amy's and not to mention he was a human, so there was no way that was going to happen. So James was the only way to go. Who knows? I might be here for months. At least I would be away from my mother's random spouts of disapointment for that long.

"Hey you wanna go horseback riding?" Chloe asked me on the third day here at this glorious mansion.

"I don't know..." I said skeptically. "I've never gone before.

"James is going to teach you," she hinted.

"And maybe Alek can teach you," I hinted back.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She demanded.

"The same thing that you meant by James is going to teach you," I pointed out.

She groaned. "Okay, fine. I'll tell James that I don't want to go and you do. Obviously Amy isn't going to want to go, she's exhausted.

Paul had been placed in the infirmary, where Alek was also sleeping because there wasn't room anywhere else. Though this mansion was very roomy, there was also a lot of people staying here at the moment because this was the safehouse for Mai in Texas and there had been a raid in Austin. Soon enough, they'd be moving out and we'd have more room. Anyways, Amy hadn't been sleeping in the bottom bunk, instead she kept on falling asleep next to Paul. Not what's what you call dedication for your partner.

"No!" I objected. "That is _not _what I meant."

"Oh, I know, but it's what you want." She smiled at me deviously.

"So what are you going to do, huh?" I inquired.

"I am going to make sure that Alek doesn't get that girl...Olivia, pregnant." She told me. Olivia was definitely one of those country pretty girls. She just had the whole Southern belle thing down. My cousin, despite his deep feelings for Chloe (that he wouldn't admit), had taken a liking to Olivia and the other way around. Yet another one of those things that would add to my little sitcom.

"Well, good luck with that," I told her. "You'll need it."

"And good luck with James," She told me, smiling sickly sweet.

I shuddered...only Chloe knew what Chloe was going to do.

Chloe POV

I got a hold of Jasmine's new infatuation; James. Jamine was going to be their couple name, I decided as soon as I saw their hands 'accidentally' touch this morning during breakfast while passing the eggs down the table.

"Is your friend going?" He asked, trying to seem non-eager about it, but he wasn't doing a very good job at it.

"You know, I decided not to go," I told him.

"Oh? Well if you want to later-

"So, I told Jasmine that she should go without me." I added, smiling at him hintfully.

He smiled back graciously. "Well it sure is a shame that you don't want to go, but if Jasmine insists on going, then I guess I must oblige."

"Keep up the accent and the sweet southern charm, and I'm sure you'll get to oblige even more in the future." I assured.

He gave a chuckle. "Alright, I will keep that in mind."

"We might be here a while, so you better." I warned.

"Really, if you want to go, I insist that you do." See? No matter how much he wants to be alone with Jasmine, he's still polite and considerate towards other people. Completely crushworthy. But I wasn't going to like him because Jasmine already does and that would be crossing girl-code...at least that's what Amy would say about all of this. If only could be this polite all the time...though, then he just wouldn't be Alek.

"Just thank me already." I said.

"For what?"

"For getting you alone with Jasmine. Okay, you're welcome." I teased.

"Yeah, thank you. You sure are straight to the point, aren't you?" He asked.

"So I've been told."

"Since you've been so open, I'll be open as well. There is a swing down the creak a mile or so. That's where all the sweethearts in this town go to have their first kiss."

"What are you-

He gave me a look. "You know exactly what I'm saying."

I raised my eyebrows and then seeing that he might have a point, I sighed.

"Go and find Jasmine!" I ordered.

"Okay, whatever you say, Unitor." He mocked.

Chloe's POV

I sat on the window seat, curled up with a good book called Just Listen, by Sarah Dessen. I was the only one in the girl's room and I thought that maybe I could finish this book by the time that Jasmine and James got back from their ride. All I could do was smile when I thought about those two. The personalities were perfect for each other. James personality would fit with anyone, but Jasmine especially needed a sweet guy on her hands because she never realized how truly amazing she really was because her mother was always hard on her. Most likely James would make her realize how special she was.

"So...uh...what were you and James talking about earlier today by the barn?" Alek said, standing in my doorway.

"We were talking about Jasmine," I answered honestly.

"That bastard better keep his hands to himself," he muttered.

"I'm sure James is saying the same thing about you with Olivia," I pointed out.

"Olivia?" He asked, confused.

"Uh huh." I replied. "Now go away, I'm reading my book."

He rolled his eyes and stepped inside of the room without permission. Just like he's done many times before.

"You've been in here for the last three hours and forty five minutes," he scolded. "You should be outside enjoying this weather."

"Not that you've been counting or anything," I muttered.

"Look, it's a beautiful day outside!"

I took a peek outside at the birds chirping and barely a cloud in the sky. A light breeze was blowing.

"You're right. But I feel like you have an alterior motive behind it." I looked at him suspicously.

"Maybe I want to spend some time with my best friend?"

"Oh, I've been upgraded to your best friend now, huh?"

"Yes, because Paul isn't exactly all that exciting right now. And Jasmine has goo goo at James at the moment. And then Amy is...well I think she has a major case of PMS right now." He explained.

"Glad to know that I'm fourth on your list." I said, only half joking.

"Come on, you know that's not true."

"Really? Prove it!"

"Well you- no! I'm not playing this game. Jasmine does this all the time. Just follow me." He instructed.

I stayed in my spot. When he got to the door and saw that I hadn't moved a muscle he shook his head. He walked over before I could react and grabbed my wrist. He dragged me along, not roughly at all like he had the other night. But definitely with some firmness because he really wanted me to go with him wherever he was headed.

When we were walking towards the creek and I finally got my footing he let go. I stopped in my tracks, and crossed my arms over my chest.

"So uh...where exactly are we going?"

"Do you ever just go with the flow?" He asked, annoyed.

He gently pried open my arms and took my hand. After a while of walking downstream for a while, he stopped abrubtly.

It was the first kiss swing that James had mentioned.

**So what do you think of it?**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey guys, I forgot to tell you I was at camp for the last few days...so I didn't get anything done. sorry bout that. I have a chapter coming up within the next 24 hours and I really hope you like it. But I'm exhausted because I've been sharing a cabin with nine 14 and 15 year olds...recipe for exhaustion. **


	8. Chapter 8

**For those of you that have been sending me threats of what you're going to do if I don't update again, just chill! Lol. Well...I know excuses, excuses. But my laptop kind of got water spilled on it because of my brat of a sister (haha love you ANNA). So I had to re-write it on my iPod and then go to the library to post it. So I REALLLY hope you all like it. **

Jasmine POV

James and I were following the creek back to the ranch. I heard Chloe's familiar protests when Alek was trying to get her to do something.

"You told me about that swing on the way over. Why are Alek and Chloe-oh!"

"What?" James asked me, slowing down his horse.

"Shh!" I hissed at him, pointing towards Alek and Chloe on the kissing swing.

"Looks like Alek really was listening to me," he chuckled.

"Let's see what happens," I suggested.

"Wouldn't that be an invasion of privacy?" he asked.

"Let me put it this way; would you be watching if it was your sister?" I questioned.

"Probably...but to make sure that he wasn't getting too familiar." he answered honestly.

"Well I'm watching to make sure that he doesn't go too far with Chloe. Not to mention I've been waiting for this to happen between these two for months."

He sighed, obviously torn between giving me my wish and not invading Alek and Chloe's privacy.

"Okay," he gave in. "But if I let you do this, you have to admit that you have a problem after they're done."

"Fine."

Wait, what's my problem?

-  
>Chloe POV<p>

"Alek..." I said skeptically, seeing that we were approaching the kissing swing that James had told me about.

Alek, just being Alek, turned me around to sit on the swing. I stayed standing.

"How'd you know about this place?" I demanded.

"Good ole James told me about this place." he explained.

I raised my eyebrows, almost scared of what he was going to do. Okay, Alek didn't scare me (except in the frequent instances that he showed up in my room unannounced), but he was making me nervous.

"Oh...what did he say?" I asked, acting naive like I do sometimes.

"That this is a very special swing."  
>"How?"<p>

"Let me show you..."

His face swooped in faster than I could say any more. He knew that I was going to have a kneejerk reaction like I always do when I'm surprised, so he put his hand on the back of my head so that I wouldn't be able to pull back that easily. I didn't kiss him back, not because I didn't want to, but because I was too much in shock to be able to. Sure, I saw this coming but when it actually happened, it just knocked out all of my senses.

So...where did the swing fall into all of this exactly? I mean it's not like both of us could fit onto it.

He let his hand on my head fall back to his side and then did the same with the arm around my waist. I hadn't realized that that was the thing holding me up because my knees had buckled and my whole body felt like Jello.

I fell back onto the swing.

"Oh, so that's what the swing is for," I muttered to myself.

"What what is for?" Alek asked, bringing my attention back towards him.

"Nothing," I disreguarded my stupid swing comment. "I..."

"You didn't kiss back..." he pointed out disapointed.

"Yeah...well I-

"I knew it! You don't like me. And now I ruined any chance of ever being with you, jeez I'm stupid-

"Alek!" I snapped. "I think hanging out with Amy is really getting to you."

"Oh, right." He accepted.

"It's not that...I just..." my brain was still fried from the random kiss, so putting together

"Look, Chloe," he paused and knelt down so that he was a little more on my level. "Now you know what I feel. Whether or not you...like me back or whatever is your choice. But I would be the luckiest guy in the world."

"I do...like you Alek. But I'm still struggling with Brian and I-and yes I know that I can't be with him- but still. So...can we take it slowly?"

He smirked. "I kne

* * *

><p>w that my charm would get you eventually."<p>

"Really slowly," I added.

He rolled his eyes. "That's better than nothing at all."

"As in no surprise kisses for a while." I requested.

"Because we both know now what my kisses do to you," he remarked.

I narrowed my eyes and slapped him on the chest.

"I was just saying..."

I sighed at his annoying habit of _always _having to say something.

Finally I got over the shock enough to stand up again. "We should be heading back, right?"

"Probably," he intertwined his fingers in mine. "but that doesn't mean that we can't enjoy the moment while doing that."

I gave his hand a squeeze. He was right, we should just enjoy the moment.

Because you never know what's going to happen tomorrow.

* * *

><p><strong>20+ reviews and I update tomorrow. But if not...well you'll just have to wait more... <strong>


	9. Chapter 9

**Even though there was only FIFTEEN reviews instead of TWENTY...I guess that I could update more, lol. They were really nice reviews! But people...if there is ANYTHING on my writing that could get better PLEASE tell me. I love all the nice reviews, but I also want to make my writing better =). Thank you so much guys!**

**Hope you like it!**

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><p>Chloe's POV<p>

"Time to wake up!"

I wake with a blow horn in my ear, and Alek looming above me.

"Jasmine!" I groaned.

"I'm on it," she replied. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her grab a pillow and chuck it, with perfect aim, at Alek's head. We both laughed at him when he scowled. He kind of deserved it for waking all of us girls up with a freaking blow horn. I think this was even worse than having ice cold water dumped on my head.

"What's the big hurry?" Jasmine asked. And she was the earliest riser of all of us, so it must be early if she was asking.

"Big hurry?" Alek asked. "Well, it's already nine."

From my bed I saw Jasmine shoot up with energy that I've only seen in near-death situations. What was up with her.

"I was supposed to meet James at the stable." She announced.

I flinched because she had said that in front of Alek.

"What's so great about James?" He challenged. Little did he know that the question was not challenging for Jasmine at all, or for any of us girls. James was just...James. Just like Alek is Alek.

* * *

><p>Jasmine POV<p>

Ever since Alek had 'overheard' a conversation between Chlo, Amy and I about James, he's been obsessed with getting to know the guy. I swear I was about ready to kill him...more than usual.

"You don't get to do that." I told him. "You're not my brother or my father."

He smirked. He always did that when he was about to prove me wrong. "Legally, I am. And since you don't have either, I get to be extra annoying."

"Is that even possible?" I muttered.

"Oh, yes it is," he answered.

"You're not supposed to answer rhetorical questions." I pointed out.

Chloe FINALLY pitched in."What are you going to wear?"

"I have to approve it before you walk out of this room," Alek warned.

Chloe and I looked at each other and we shoved him easily out of the room and locked the door.

"Hey!" He protested, his voice slightly muffled by the door. Jasmine and I only high five'd each other.

"We're changing!" Chloe responded.

"I wouldn't mind seeing that." He said. Of course we both knew that he only meant Chloe, but I still decided to mess with him.

"You want to see your sister change?" I asked through the door.

"Well...no." After that I heard his retreating footsteps down the hall.

"Climb through the window." Chloe suggested, whispering in my ear to make sure that Alek wouldn't hear.

"Amy?" I asked, realizing that I hadn't heard a peep out of her. But she was still peacefully sleeping in her bed. Damn that girl was a heavy sleeper. Though Chloe and I were automatically built to be light sleepers, any human should be woken up by all of that racket.

"There's something wrong with her." Chloe stated.

"Uh...what would that be?" I questioned, genuinely concerned for her. Now it wasn't just because she's Chloe's friend but because now I even considered her a friend of mine.

For my whole life, my only companions were the ones that my mother approved from other Mai families, but I never liked them. Then when I was thirteen, Alek came along and he became my brother (kind of? I've never really been clear on if my mom fully adopted him or if she's just his legal guardian, she never told me). For a while that was enough for me because I actually liked him somewhat better than the 'friends' my mom picked out for me. I thought that I wasn't going to like Chloe at first because my mom had made me keep an eye on her and train her. But that was definitely not the case; she was amazing! But I wouldn't call us best friends like her and Amy, but she's the best friend that I've ever had. Now that Chloe was randomly thrown into my life, I think that it's gotten a whole lot better for me. Because now I'm actually a part of a group that has willingly accepted me into it. Not that Alek and I don't get along, but it's because we have to.

"I have no idea what's wrong with her...she's just not as...

"Energetic?" I guessed. "Now that you've mentioned it, I think I get what you mean."

"And she's been really moody lately." Chloe shook her head and muttered to herself.

"Hasn't she always been like that?" I asked. It really was a fair question. I have been going to school with her for the last five years? At least.

"Yes," Chloe answered honestly. "But you get used to it after sixteen years of knowing each other. This is extra moodiness. Like she's on extra PMS 24/7."

Now I knew that if Alek was listening, he would definitely stop now after that description that Chloe had put in there. Maybe she was thinking what I was thinking as well?"

"Wait...wasn't I going to do something before we got into this?" I asked, trying to remember.

"James, right? You better go!" She grabbed a pair of my jeans and a short sleeve blue, black and white plaid shirt of hers and shoved it into my hands.

My mom had some people pack for all of us- even Amy and Paul. Some of the clothes were new, but most of them were from our closet. Or in Alek's case- from his floor and under his bed.

"But you're smaller than I am." I objected, trying to hand the plaid shirt back to her.

She rolled her eyes at me. "Yes, in the chest area, but otherwise we're the same size. Which is why you can just not button it. Just trust me, okay? I work in a clothing store remember?"

"I don't know...

"James is going to love. How could he not? Stop being so hard on yourself all the time."

* * *

><p>Amy's POV<p>

They had no idea that I had actually been awake the entire time. And I knew that Chloe suspected something, but now Jasmine? Great! Two Mai's on my case, not good for me at all.

I wondered what it was, boy or girl?

**Not the most romantic chapter, but I wanted to do a bit with Jasmine and Chloe. I just love their friendship in the show. Jasmine hasn't had very many friends so she's not sure of what to do with Chloe, Amy and Paul. Sooo...I just think it's kind of interesting seeing how their friendship has devoloped from something where they had to get along, to where they've kind of become good friends without even really realizing it. Like episode 9 where she came to the clothing store to have Chloe help her find an outfit for her date. **

**Anywho...if you guys can give me some CRITIQUE and stop being nice about everything, that would be great!**

xoxo


	10. Chapter 10

**Thanks for the reviews..and critique lol. I think the advice was really helpful! And guys, you're totally free to tell me if you don't like some of the aspects of the story and the characters, I don't take it personally or anything. But (am I sounding mean? ) I can't always make everyone happy and give everyone exactly what they want, but I sure would if I could. But...I think we can all agree that we like Alek, right? hehe...ya...**

* * *

><p>Jasmine's POV<p>

Living in the city, I never knew whether or not I was an animal person(I was definitely a cat person, no pun intended), but now I can tell you with all sincere honesty and my heart that I love animals. The dogs being an exception sometimes. But, have you ever seen someone's dog and cat get along just fine? Well, that's the way it's been with the dogs and me at this ranch. Most of all, I love the horses. I seriously sound like a ten year old from a clishe movie about horses. Maybe it's because I somewhat missed out on my childhood and now I'm just making up for it?

Either way, I was having a great time. And something that I wouldn't be able to enjoy if I was ten? James. Yeah, that's right. If I was a ten year old, James wouldn't matter to me and I would be missing out big time. But since I'm seventeen, I get best of both worlds. Did I really just use a Hannah Montana line? Man, I really am turning into a ten year old.

"Do you have any idea when you might be going back?" James asked me on the other side of the horse that we were both brushing.

"Hopefully not very soon. The longer I don't have to deal with my mother and Chloe's failing assassins, the better," I admitted.

"Is that the _only _reasons that you don't want to go back?" He hinted playfully.

"Well...there's a guy that might have something to do with it as well," I teased.

"Really? What's he like?" He asked, playing along like I hoped he would.

"He's sweet. Sometimes he's a little too sweet because he's afraid of hurting my feelings. But he makes it up with a cute Southern style charm. Not to mention the accent."

"They say accents are the best." James grinned.

"Yes, they are." I agreed. "Any special lady on your mind?"

"Yeah, but sometimes I don't think she realizes how special she really is," he almost lectured. "She's way to hard on herself at times, which is sometimes why I think she is the way she is; because she always does everything to top standard. But once she forgets about all of her troubles, she's a total different person."

"Do you like her light side better?" I inquired.

"To be honest, I like it when she's happier, but I love both sides. Maybe it would be good to have someone a little more focused than I am so that she can help me if I need to be a little more serious sometimes."

"Maybe that girl needs you to bring her light-hearted side out because no one else can do it?"

"That way she and I could balance each other out." He suggested.

"She sounds really special," I smirked.

"Oh definitely, and your guy sounds like a keeper?" He was questioning it.

"For sure." I assured him.

"Good for him."

I walked over to the horses feet to clean out the hoof.

"Jasmine don't ever-

Both of the horse's back feet raised up and, despite my catlike reflexes, I didn't have enough time to dodge the blow. If it was a human or Mai, yes, but I was not expecting this from a horse at all. One hoof kicked me in the stomach and the other in the nose. I ended up landing on my butt and with a bloody nose.

-go behind a horse like that..." James finished, with a worried but amused look on his face. Of course he knew that I wasn't as hurt as a human would have been. But it did hurt, that's for sure.

I looked up at him and nodded in agreement, to much in shock to talk.

He smiled at me. It wasn't a happy smile of course, but a reassuring smile. "Come on, let's go get you cleaned up." He put out his hand for me to take. I took it but grabbed his other hand because I needed some more leverage to get up.

"Stomach too, huh?" He asked once I was up and subconsciously.

"Yeah," I grunted.

I have no idea why he took me to the infirmary room. Or why it was called the infirmary. What is it? The eighteenth century? But he did and as soon as we were there, he told me that he was going to get Lauren, the nurse in charge this week. She must have been on lunch break, seeing as it was 12;45.

I glanced at Paul who was sitting up in his bed and reading a comic book. Or a manga? I wasn't sure, but it was something with pictures.

"Hey...Paul?"

"Huh?" HE didn't look up from the book at my greeting.

"We're uh...friends, right?" I blurted.

That caused him to look up from his book and up at me.

"Sure?" He looked at me like I was psycho or something. "I thought you and Alek didn't like me."

"That's just Alek," I corrected.

His face brightened at the thought that only Alek didn't like him. But, seriously, who couldn't just love Paul? He's just like a big teddy bear or something. You just want to hug him. Trust me, I know that sounds so weird, but I'm sure that Chloe could relate big time.

"Oh, then totally!"

"Good..." I muttered.

"What do you want?" He asked skeptically.

"Nothing big..."

"But?"

"But I need you to somehow distract Alek for the rest of the day while I'm with James," I admitted, then I added, "please?"

"Chloe and Amy are already doing that right now. So I'll do you another favor." He said.

"Oh, and what's that?"

"Give you some guy insight, since I know that Alek isn't ever going to give you any because you're siblings...cousins, whatever. Guy friend to a girl friend...James really, really likes you. Just in case that wasn't obvious to you before. I would even say that he's in love with you."

"Really?" I asked. I mean, there was definite flirting and butterflies between us, but I hadn't really expected 'in love.' A week really isn't a lot of time to be in love.

"Do you think that Amy likes me for real? Not just because she doesn't want to hurt my feelings?" he asked me.

I raised my eyebrows.

"What? You're kidding me right? She's totally in love with you...it's annoying how much she loves you sometimes." I chuckled at the thought of how much she talked about Paul all the time. I mean more than Chloe talked about Alek and me about James put together.

"I know but lately she's been seeming a bit different," he noticed. "You know what I mean?"

"Yeah, I do know what mean. Chloe and I are working on that, don't worry about anything but your comic books" I assured.

"Here's Lauren," James announced.

"So what do we have here?" Lauren asked me, looking at my bloody nose. "Let me guess, your stomach hurts too?"

I nodded suspicously.

"Don't worry, Ginger has gotten the best of us too. Just sit down and relax while I get you some Tylonol.

I could get used to this...relaxing as these people put it.

* * *

><p>Chloe POV<p>

"What the hell did James do to Jasmine? She had a bloody nose!" Alek demanded.

"She got kicked by a horse Alek. Nothing else." I reassured him, kind of worried by his reaction to this.

"And why am I always the last one told about these things?" He demanded again.

"Maybe because you over-react?" I guessed.

He gave me a questioning look. Then he realized that I was talking about the way that he was acting at the moment. I rolled my eyes at his behavior. "OH."

"Why would you think that he would actually hurt her?" I asked him.

"I don't...I just don't want her to get hurt." He admitted.

"Aww...you love Jasmine, that's so sweet. But seriously, chill." I ordered. "My empthic spells has told me that he's utterly and completely in love with her, so don't worry. And why would you think that she would get hurt?"

His eyes widened like they usually do when he realized he said something that he shouldn't have...or didn't want to actually explain.

"I..gotta go." He lied.

"No, sit." I ordered. Wow, I'm turning out to be just like my mother.

He stayed standing against my orders.

"Fine, but you at least get to spill," I bargained.

He narrowed his eyes at me like a little kid would if their parents told them to do something they don't want to do.

"I've seen you get hurt with two guys. First when that kid that you kissed died...and then when you had to tell Brian that you couldn't see him anymore. I don't want that to happen to Jasmine. She may look really strong...but she's not prepared for being in love." He explained.

"And you are?" I pointed out.

Now it was his turn to roll his eyes.

"It's different. I'm her...surrogate brother and it's wierd...because I've never had to keep an eye out for guys with her. I haven't even thought about it until now."

I sighed, looking at his concerned face.

"I know what you mean...I kind of went through that with both Paul and Amy...it's like having both of my siblings dating each other." I scrunched up my nose as we both shuddered.

"that's supposed to make me feel better how?" he asked.

"My point is; once she finds 'the guy', she's going to be the happiest girl in the world. Or really close. Anyways, if she goes through a break up with James, it's just going to make her a stronger person. Brian and Xavier made me the person I am now."

"First, what about me? I'm not part of you being a stronger person?" He asked, teasing slightly. "And second, I don't think being a stronger person would be the best thing for Jasmine, she's already so...strong or tough."

"You're part of me being a more patient person," I assured, completely serious. He did take a lot of patience. "And as for Jasmine, you're right, she doesn't need to be a stronger person. Which is why I'm happy to say that I think that James is going to be the person she's destined to be with."

"What about you? Are you with the one you're destined to be with for the rest of your...lives." Oh, Alek...he's so punny. Ugh.

I ignored the pun and smiled. "I don't know, do you think so?"

"I think you are."

I leaned into him and he kissed the top of my head. I hoped he was right.

**Sweet, right? Hope you liked it!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Soo...everyone keeps on telling me that I need to let everyone in the group know that Amy is pregnant. Since that would be kind of boring to let everyone know all at once, I'm going to let the most unlikely person know =). But don't worry, everyone will know soon enough.**

Amy's POV

These people were getting on my nerves, especially Chloe. Luckily Paul was too busy with recovering to actually notice that anything was wrong with me. But Jasmine and Chloe sure could tell. And they never let it go either. They even had Jasmine's 'friend' James come and interrogate me. Everyone except Alek had been on my case. But now my morning sickness occurred right in front of Alek.

"Whoa! Don't throw up on my brand new shoes." Alek accused. Only Alek would say something like that if a girl threw up right in front of him. That's what made him Alek.

"Sorry, I think I had something bad to eat for breakfast," I lied. On account of being a horrible liar, I knew that Mai could tell when someone was lying. So why did I do it? Because I'm stupid.

"No snappy comeback? Wow, you must be really sick then," He observed. "Oh, and you know that I can tell you're lying."

"I know," I stated. "What do you want?"

He scratched his head like he didn't know what to say, which would be a first for him. "Uh...well. Chloe and Jasmine keep talking non-stop about how much they're worried about you. And it's kind of irratating because-

"-it takes the attention away from you?" I finished for him.

"Exactly," he agreed, even though he knew that I was being sarcastic. "But...mood swings, morning sickness and you're eating like crazy. It's almost like you're pregnant or something."

I froze solid. My eyes widened and looked up at him. "uh..."

Now it was his turn to freeze and gape. "You...you're not, right?"

I shifted uncomfortably from one foot to the other. "You don't really want me to answer that, do you?" I asked cautiously.

"I-you and Paul- oh jeeze." He stuttered.

"You swear not to tell anyone?" I pleaded.

"So...you're uh, confirming that it's true?" He asked.

"Yes," I clarified for him.

He leaned up against the house like he needed help standing. "You're asking me to keep this big of a secret for you?" He sighed and shook his head.

"At school, you're totally human. You keep being Mai a secret. You should be able to keep me and my baby a secret," I pointed out.

"Oh, oh you're good," he admitted. "How about I keep it a secret as long as no one asks me if you're pregnant."

"I don't think anyone will ask _you _if I'm pregnant, we're not exactly best friends."

"On one condition, you name the baby after me," he bargained.

"No, not going to happen," I argued.

"Middle name?" He compromised.

"I will think about it," I agreed.

"We have a deal then."

He stood all the way back up and took a deep breath.

"Are you going to be okay?" I asked. He didn't look so stable right now.

He gave a dry laugh. "Yeah, this news doesn't effect me or my sanity at all..."

If that made his sanity go away, I was sure glad he didn't know that it was a rape baby.

* * *

><p>Chloe's POV<p>

The red alert for the Mai in Texas was finally gone. Which meant that the house cleared up and everyone got their own room. But to be honest, I might miss sharing a room with Amy and Jasmine a little bit. But on the up side, I didn't fall off of my bed any more.

"So, which side of the bed do I sleep on?" Alek teased, barging in without knocking.

"The under part, you sleep underneathe the bed," I teased back.

When Paul recovered fully, probably another week from now, he and Alek would share the bedroom that I had been sharing with Jasmine and Amy. My bedroom was the biggest out of all of the girls. I had wanted to keep it a secret that I was the Uniter, but Valentina had made it very clear that I was the Uniter and I was to be treated like royalty. Despite my protests of that statement, they still treated me specially. Even though they said they weren't, it was obvious that they were.

"What do you want to do tonight?" He asked me.

"Something that gets my mind off of stupid Mai stuff," I said. "You have any ideas?"

"Movie!" He exclaimed, looking at me weird. "Let's watch a movie."

I gave him a questioning look. He had been acting weird lately...like he was keeping his distance from me. It was like he was afraid of doing something to me.

"I'm sure they wouldn't mind if we took a peek at the movies on Demand." I agreed.

"How about Jack-ass?" He asked, looking at me hopefully.

"Oh, they made a movie about you?" I teased.

"Uh, yeah they did. That's why I want to watch it," he teased back, but sounding serious a little bit.

"Yeah, sure, go ahead." I agreed.

I had a feeling that I would be in for a very interesting night.


	12. Chapter 12

Jasmine's POV

Alek was keeping something to himself, and I knew it. I knew him all too well for him too be able to sneak past me when something was up. Making him tell me was an entirely different story alltogether. That might be more than impossible. But I was going to beat it out of him if I had to.

There was a knock at my door. James.

"Come in," I called to him.

He opened the door with a solemn look on his face. "Any news on your mother yet?"

Wait...what was that? I decided to play along and pretend to know what he was talking about. "No, I believe not."

He sighed and cautiously walked into my room, closing the door behind him.

"They'll find her, don't worry." He reassured me, even though I had no clue what he was talking about.

"I'm sure they will..." I said. "How long has she been being looked for again?"

"Well no one has heard from her since the night that you left." He informed me. "Except maybe you?"

"Nothing." I replied. "Um...I'm going to go talk to Chloe about...protection." I blurted. It was the only thing that I could think of to say. Protection? Seriously? I couldn't have said 'girl stuff' or 'my mom'. Or anything would have been better than 'protection.'

"Alek and Chloe are...?" He seemed pretty wierded out by that idea, and so was I. But since I had said it, I had to play along with it as well.

"Not that I know of...but I did catch them coming close to third base the other day," I lied.

Alek and I were trained to know when people are lying. Chloe had the natural insticnt for it. But Alek and I were also trained to know how to lie without getting sweaty, not letting our heartrates go up or not to scratch our nose or any part of our face. I've been training to lie effectivly since I was a toddler, so I know how to lie without getting caught. One thing that my mom did teach me though; how not to feel guilty afterwards.

Still Jasmine's POV

I bursted into Alek's room as soon as I was out of sight from James.

"What the hell is going on?" I demanded.

He was reading a car magazine in one hand with his other arm around Chloe, who was still peacefully sleeping.

"Uh...reading?" He guessed, seeing if that was the right answer.

"Wrong! You never read in your free time by your own will." I accused. "There's something else going on."

He carefull slipped his arm away from underneathe Chloe and carefully stood up from the bed. "Are you okay?"

"Why didn't you tell me about mom?" I asked.

He sighed heavily. I opened my mouth to ask him another question about he could keep a secret like this away from me. But before I could he grabbed me and then dragged me out the slider door outside. He shut it behind us.

"Do you know how long it took me to actually get her to sleep?" He pointed at Chloe through the glass.

"Right now, I don't really care. You don't get to get out of this conversation until you fully explain what's going on with mom." I crossed my arms, telling him that there was no way that I was going to let this subject go until I got some answers. He knew me long enough that I would get those answers one way or another.

"Jasmine..." he hesitated and tried to put a comforting hand on my shoulder, but I flinched away. "You were having such a good time with James and you were the happiest I've ever seen you. I didn't want to ruin that until I was sure that something serious is actually going on?"

"So you thought that you had the right to keep this from me?" I demanded. "You know that we're not supposed to keep secrets from each other...especially something like this."

"That's not fair," he argued.

"Yes, it very well damn is," I debated. "And you know it."

"Jas-"

"No, don't even try this time. You don't get to talk yourself out of this one. Just go back to Chloe, okay?" It wasn't mean words, but it definitely_ sounded_ cold and distant, more than I even intended.

* * *

><p>Amy's POV<p>

Paul was almost all the way recovered! Do you know how awesome that is? It meant that I would actually have a human to do things with, instead of being the only human during horse-riding or races or other stupid stuff that involved reflexes that didn't exist for me.

"Do you like children?" I asked him noncholantly.

He looked up at me from his comic book and gave me a suspicous and cautious look. He thought that he was going to have to be cautious while answering this question in case it was a 'acessing' question that I had come up with.

"Uh...they can be cool," he answered, going with a mutual, vague answer.

"Would you...ever wanna be a...dad?" I flipped a page of my People magazine so that he wouldn't think that I cared as much as I truly did.

"It would be hard, but definitely not the worst thing in the world, I guess," he shrugged, going back to his comic book.

Okay, so that was not the worst answer that I could recieve from a sixteen year old guy. Of course he didn't want to be a dad at sixteen. I mean, who does? I know I don't want to be a parent. Doesn't mean that I'm going to 'get rid of' the baby.

"Uh huh, so you're saying that it's a possibility that you'd be okay with?" I assumed.

"Sort of. I'm saying that, if it happens, it happens and I'm gonna love the kid and stick around to watch it grow up. Doesn't mean that I'm going to try to get you pregnant," he clarified.

Wait, was he thinking that we'd be together so long that we would possibly have kids together someday? Aww, that was so sweet. Anyways, I had to get some more answers.

"Would you want a boy or a girl?"

"Either would be okay. Boys are good because I can understand them, but they can also cause a lot of trouble and get dirt everywhere which you would no doubt complain about. Girls are sweeter, and I've always kind of wanted a little sister, but oviously my parents are getting too old to ever have kids again, so having a daughter might be nice. But...they cry a lot more."

"Uh huh," I neither agreed or disagreed.

"Why are you asking me these questions all of the sudden?" He asked suspicously.

"What would you do if I was pregnant?" I asked.

"Freak out, why?" he didn't seem suspicous of this question and yet he doubted all the others? Well, he always has been a dork like that. My dork, though.

"Oh...no reason," I lied. Man, I was doing a lot of that lately.


	13. Chapter 13

**So I finally put in more Chalek. I have a confession to make; I'm somewhat afraid of writing these scenes between Alek and Chloe because they're the hardest to write for me. Jasmine and James are easier because I made up the character of James. Amy and Paul are just easy to write because they're so adorable. Chloe and Alek aren't adorable like that...they're more of a passionate couple and I'm afraid of messing that up. **

Chloe's POV

I was pretending to be asleep while I listened to Jasmine and Alek's conversation about Valentina outside. She was missing, that was clear. But was she kindapped, staging her own death, or running away from the Order? The part of me that needed to know was the part that lo-cared deeply about Alek...and Jasmine too of course. But at the same time, I didn't want to know because I didn't want my Paradise in the middle of nowhere to end already. But obviously if there was something going on with Valentina, that wasn't going to be the case, I was going to have to give up the paradise and help Alek and Jasmine find her. It's what friends do, they sacrifice things for each other.

When I heard Jasmine raise her voice, I knew that she was furious. I squinted so that I could see them through the glass sliding door, just in case they ganced at me they would think that I still had my eyes closed. Jasmine looked pissed, probably because Alek didn't tell her that her mother was missing. I could understand both sides, but mostly could relate to Jasmine because I would want to know if my mother was in danger, no matter how happy I was, no matter how busy I was. At the same time, Alek just didn't want to inturrupt her hapiness with James.

I watched Jasmine run off and Alek shook his head with frustration.

Before he turned around, I shut my eyes quickly and concentrated on slowing my breathing and heartbeat. Alek was too involved with thinking to really pay attention to my heartbeat or anything like that, much to my relief. I heard him head towards my bathroom. At first I thought that he was going to the bathroom, but that didn't seem to be the case after at least a minute of not hearing anything that resembled going to the bathroom. Instead all I heard was Alek breathing slowly and deeply like trying not to cry. Knowing Alek, he wouldn't cry. He wouldn't cry with me around, even if I was asleep. He was going to fight it all the way. Realizing that it was time to go see how he was doing instead of still pretending to be asleep, I quietly slipped from my covers and creeped into the bathroom (**a/n that sounds a bit creepy, now that I think about it XD). **I reached my hand out and lightly touched him on the shoulder. He grabbed it and spun around.

"Go away!" He whipped around and snapped at me. I snatched my hand back from his grip.

"Alek!" I scolded."Stop doing this!"

"Doing what? I don't want you to see me like this," he told me in the same tone that I had used with him.

I took a step back, I little bit taken aback at his reaction. His face was red and his eyes were turning feline now. I didn't want to be around when Alek lost his temper, but I needed to stay in case he did, that way I would be able to stop him if he tried to do something stupid.

"You want a relationship right?" I challenged. "Well guess what? Relationships work both ways, if I have to let you in, then you have to let me in."

He swallowed hard, understanding that he was treading on thin waters with our relationship.

"I'm supposed to be the strong one, I'm your protector." He pointed out. "I can't have weak points."

"Yes, yes you can. If you can't, then I definitely can't because I'm the Unitor. Out of all the Mai, the Unitor is supposed to be the strongest and I haven't exactly lived up to that so far, now have I?" I shot back.

"Chloe-

"Save it, Alek. You know what I mean. I'm not saying that you have to pour out your feelings to me like I'm Oprah. But...let me be there for you just once instead of you always being there for me," I was using a much softer, gentler tone with him now, knowing that he didn't need any more harshness from me. The world was already harsh enough.

"You know, it's really annoying when you do all of your caring," he let out a dry laugh. Good to know that Alek was at least slightly himself.

I didn't wait any longer to wrap my arms around him and squeeze him as hard as I could. He stood frozen for a second.

"Well, it comes with the package," I informed him.

"I wouldn't have it any other way," he replied.

He finally gave in, finally letting himself be vulnerable around me. He still didn't cry, like I said, that's just not his style. He wrapped one arm around my waist and the other one around my shoulders and buried his face in my hair.

"I love you Chloe King," he murmured into my hair.

Those words shocked me at first, but my heart sped up with happiness instead of nervousness.

"I love you too, Alek."

** 15+ Reviews, I'll post by Saturday.**

**10-14 Monday or Tuesay.**

**5-9 Maybe by next Friday...**

**0-4...come on ppl!**

**So please, please, please review. And I'll try to keep everyone happy, but I can't all the time =(. Because there's so many different requests about what to do. I think we can all agree...more Chalek. And I'm thinking of adding in a human girl for Brian, because whether we like it or not, Brian is a nice guy and deserves a nice girl that belongs with him. And that girl just can't be Chloe, so I'm gonna make up someone else. =)**


	14. Chapter 14

**Okay...it's time that I do more of a serious moment between Jasmine and James because the very few moments between them have just been sweet and cutesy. So anyways...20 reviews in like less than 24 hours! Thank you guys! Also, let's just assume that both Alek/Chloe and James/Jasmine have kissed several times already! Sorry for not putting that in quite yet, but I need to pretend that now just so it fits into my storyline. **

**Jasmine's POV**

Alek had no right to keep that information about my mother from me. It didn't matter what the circumstances were, it was wrong and he had lied to me...or at least kept imporatant informations from me. What right did he think he had?

Then I thought about it more. He was wrong in thinking that he should do that. But at least he was trying to do the right thing. the reason why he had done that was a completely selfless reason, and that's rare from Alek. There's almost always a motive for him to do something, but there's nothing that he could gain from hiding that from me.

"How long have you known?" I asked James, standing in his doorway and not just walking in like I usually did.

"About your mom?" He guessed.

"Yeah," I clarified.

"Two days? Yesterday and today, why?" He looked up at me from his laptop. He was most likely studying anatomy. He wanted to become a doctor when he was older.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner?" I asked calmly.

"I thought that Alek would be the one to tell you since it's you two's mother and not mine," he replied, going back to reading whatever it was he was reading.

He was lying, I could easily tell. He wasn't a very good liar.

"No, really."

He shut his laptop really quickly and was over to the door in a flash-quite literally. He gently grabbed my arm and pulled me into his room and shut the door behind us. I looked down, and I could almost feel the invisible tears threatening to spill behind my eyes, but he cupped my chin and made me look at him.

"I didn't want to be the one to tell you because I didn't want to be there when you found out that your mother was kidnapped," he told me, kissing the top of my head and wrapped one arm around my shoulders and then cupping the back of my head so that my face was pressed into his chest.

I pushed away enough to see his face, allowing him room to still hold onto me. "Kidnapped?" I asked, horror filling my voice.

He nodded. "I thought that Alek told you, but apparently he didn't."

I shook my head. "No, he failed to mention that."

I pulled completely away from him now and started pacing back and forth across the room. James sat back down and his eyes trailed me in sympathy and hurt for me.

"I...this is my mother! How-she would never...this isn't

"Reports say that members of the Order from all over the country were there," he informed me, not exactly making me feel any better.

"Oh..." I said, not able to say anything else.

"But don't worry, all the Mai in this country are on alert for your mother, okay?" He tried to reassure me again.

"Your dad is in charge of the search, right?" I asked. He nodded in response. "I'm going to go talk to him, okay?"

"No!" He said, "Not okay...

"What?" I challenged.

"You're not in the best mindset right now..." he told me.

"What are you talking about?"

"I need you to stay here, with me. Just so I know that you're not going to do anything stupid."

"But I'm not going to do anything-

He raised his eyebrows.

I crossed my arms in relunctant agreement. "Fine."

"I want you to do another thing for me," he bargained.

"What is it?"

"Don't hold it all in," he said. "You and Alek tend to have a problem with expressing yourself sometimes," he pointed out.

I was raised not to express my feelings. Except maybe for anger against my enemies, but otherwise I was a robot as far as feelings went for my mother. My mother didn't care about emotions anymore. I knew that she loved me deep down, but let's be honest; she was so focused on running the Mai clan of San Fancisco that she completely forgot about me sometimes.

I sat down on his bed, not wanting to do anything requiring strength. No talking, no standing. I just wanted to go to sleep right now and wake up when everything was okay again. Of course I knew that this was never going to happen because the world sucks like that sometimes. To have a happy life, you have to earn it.

"What if she...you know?"

He shook his head and knelt in front of me. "That's not going to happen! I met your mother once. I thought my dad was the toughest Mai out there, until I met her, and she just made him seem like a wimp. She's not going to die, because death is afraid of her."

I gave him the credit and laughed dryly, but humorlessly. "You don't know that for sure...

He sighed, knowing that I was right. "No, I don't." He admitted. "But if anyone is going to defeat death, it will be your mom."

"I know," I agreed. But those invisible tears weren't so invisible. They were very completely visible in my eyes, I was sure of it. Mom would sure be ashamed of me now. The tears were closer to falling every second that passed by. "But what if something does happen? I don't want to lose my mom."

He sat by me on the bed again and put his arm awkwardly around me. We were still getting used to this whole 'being open' thing. Being open isn't exactly big with the Mai all the time. We just can't be, especially with my life.

"Well, I'm not going to say that everything is going to be okay, because I could be lying. But one thing that I wouldn't be lying about is saying that I'll be there for you if you need me," he said. "And that's whether you like it or not."

I would definitely have to say like it.

"I don't want to lose her," I repeated, whispering, leaning into him for more support to stay upright.

He pulled me towards the headboard so we could lean against something. "I know, Jasmine. And I swear on my life that I will do everything in my power to make sure that it doesn't happen."

I nodded my gratefullness. He put both arms around me and I laid my head on his chest. "I don't want to lose her," I repeated for another time.

"I know Jasmine, I know." He kissed my forehead and rocked me back and forth.

I felt safe in James' arms, even though inside I knew that the world around me was in chaos. All I needed at the moment was James' arms around me, rocking me to sleep.

**Okay, so I know it was like last chapter, but genders reversed. I just feel like Alek can't cry because that would just be so out of character. But I've seen Jasmine come pretty close to tears one or two times on the show, so I figured that it wouldn't be too out of character for Jasmine. And for those of you that want everyone to figure out that Amy's pregnant, don't worry, that'll be coming soon enough. They say that good things come to those who wait. =)**

**Can you guys do an awesome job reviewing and showing the love like last chapter? **

**15+ and I'll update by Monday? Otherwise I'll have it updated by Wednesday or Thursday? Show the love peeps! **

**Thank you so much for reading!**


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